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MatV

Skier // Trail Runner // Camper/Hiker // Kayaker // Backpacker

MatV: #776 of 91,578 More Information

17 Reviews:

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4 Questions:

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3 Answers:

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1 Photos:

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  • Stomping Grounds:

    Louisville, KY -> Colorado Rockies
  • Bio:

    Running is my passion. I enjoy the outdoors and anything you do there including hiking, skiing, kayaking. I want to visit New Zealand some day and run in the Transrockies Run next year.

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Survived the CT

Survived the CT

MSR Hubba Tent: 1-Person 3-Season

August 18, 2009

Took this tent with me on the CT. I really don't think you can find a better solo tent. Free standing, goes up and comes down in no time but super solid design. Vestibule gives plenty of room to stash stuff and plenty of headroom in the tent itself. The pack is an Osprey Aether 85 (5200 cu) and it fit fine in the vestibule. I'm 5'10" and tried a night with the pack in the tent with me to elevate my feet, but it was a little cramped but it still worked. Also, it is definitely a 3-season tent. Couple of nights got into the twenty's and I'm glad I had a solid bag and extra layers. Don't plan on the raincover blocking too much cold.
All in all though, if you're in the market for a solo tent, don't look anywhere else. Yeah, its high in price but trust, you get what you pay for.

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Sugoi 42K Short - Men's

October 16, 2009

I'd imagine that you've either gotten or given up on these shorts by now, but as for cycling, it depends on your preference. There's absolutely no padding in the er... important areas... but I've never come across running shorts that do. They've got a real nice split up the side and are super light, but I'd want some padding if I were going to be doing any riding in these.

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The North Face Agent Laptop Bag - 1650cu in

July 30, 2009

Would this bag fit a laptop, 2" tupperware container, and possibly some running gear (minus the shoes)?

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Unreal...I'll be getting another

Backcountry.com Merino Crew Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

Backcountry.com Merino Crew Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 July 28, 2009

This shirt is phenomenal...that's about as close to realistic as I can get. I wore one of these shirts for about 4 days on the CT. I actually slept in the thing a couple of nights too and never once noticed an odor coming from the shirt (coming from me is a different story). The shirt was incredibly lightweight and a perfect base layer. Tight fitting and I agree with some previous posts that the sleeves are well sized as well (not crazy short so that they're in your armpit). Backcountry, you all have nailed it with this one!

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MSR Hydromedary Hydration Bag

May 23, 2009

I have a MSR Miniworks EX water filter which has an adapter for Nalgene bottles. Does the adapter work on this bag as well? From the picture above, it looks like it might be the same kind of opening as a Nalgene.

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Good Bag

Sea To Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack

Sea To Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack

Rating for this product: 4 May 20, 2009

As for the compressibility of this bad boy, nothing comes close. I got two (one for my sleeping bag and one for my clothes ) and they worked great for giving me more space in my pack. I used them for a trip this past week into the Smokies (Clingmans Dome area) and while we were camping one night, we got a pretty solid rainstorm for about an hour. We had one we were using as a bear bag and we didn't have it covered or anything so it got the full force of the rain. When I checked it the next morning, there was some moisture on the inside of the bag (uh-oh) but nothing was soaked, just sort of damp. Fortunately we didn't have anything in there that NEEDED to stay dry. Overall, I think this bag would be good for backpacking because it gets stuff to such a small size and you've still got your pack to keep out the rain, but if its just this sack and water, I'm not sure how dry your stuff will stay.

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OK Shirt

Backcountry.com Cocona Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

Backcountry.com Cocona Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

Rating for this product: 3 May 16, 2009

I like the shirt but I have to agree with previous posts that the sizing is a little "interesting." The body fits comfortably but the pits are just a little too tight (basically the shirt pits are in my pits). However, despite this the shirt is still good for active wear. I haven't had any chafing or irritation so its just a weird feeling more than a serious product flaw. Good shirt overall but I would rather go with one of the "not-cotton" shirts made by Sport Science for Backcountry.

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Great Hiking Pants

Columbia Omni-Dry Silver Ridge II Convertible Pant - Men's

Columbia Omni-Dry Silver Ridge II Convertible Pant - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 May 16, 2009

First pair of true hiking pants I ever owned and incredibly satisfied. The material is super lightweight and breathable and dries really quick. Had them in the Appalachians this past week and they worked great. Not a lot of warmth to them and the belt didn't always stay tight (but this shouldn't deter anyone since I have a pretty small waist). I have a 30 waist and bought the small and they worked well enough. Overall, very happy with the pants.

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Get it now!!!

The North Face Pioneer Palmer 1/4 Zip Pullover - Men's

The North Face Pioneer Palmer 1/4 Zip Pullover - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 March 9, 2009

Well I had been up in the air about buying this because of the price. But then I just couldn't pass up this deal! The shirt is ridiculously comfortable. The actual color is a little darker than the picture shows, but still pretty cool. It's an excellent layering piece of apparel and I can't wait to wear it (even though it's starting to get warm again). More of a loose fit than the Backcountry stuff. Hurry up and buy it while its still on sale!

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Definitely a Favorite!

Backcountry.com Merino Crew Shirt - Long-Sleeve - Men's

Backcountry.com Merino Crew Shirt - Long-Sleeve - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 January 12, 2009

This shirt is great! Incredibly comfortable no matter what you're doing in it. Great for casual wear, but also really good for anything active. So far its kept its original size after a few normal washes and it fits relatively tight like a base layer. Worth the price too.

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The North Face Pioneer Palmer 1/4 Zip Pullover - Men's

January 4, 2009

It's merino wool, so your going to pay top doller anyways.That's a good question. It's the best material and I personally think it's worth the dough, but I can see how a lot of people would pass it up. I think there are a few other merino wool tops that are just as nice with less mulah involved. Check the stuff made for backcountry.com, Kuhl and Ibex. They're all really nice.Hope that helps.Thanks, definitely a big help. I agree on the backcountry.com stuff. I've got a merino shirt that I picked up earlier and love it!

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Super Warm!

Backcountry.com Nepal Beanie

Backcountry.com Nepal Beanie

Rating for this product: 5 January 2, 2009

This hat is by far my favorite. I've owned a couple TNF beanies and they don't come close to this one in warmth and comfort. Blocks the wind really well and the fleece keeps your head toasty. The wool also lets your head breathe while keeping you warm when you're doing whatever your doing

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Just can't beat it!

Jetboil Gourmet Cooking Set

Jetboil Gourmet Cooking Set

Rating for this product: 5 December 31, 2008

Just took it on a weekend trip in the Smokies. Used it to boil water and the stove performed excellent. Utensils are super cool (they retract to half their size) and the ignitor button worked every time on the first or second press. Definitely would recommend to someone trying to save space and just looking for a damn good stove!

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Pretty Nice

The North Face Impulse 1/2 Zip Hooded Pullover - Long Sleeve - Men's

The North Face Impulse 1/2 Zip Hooded Pullover - Long Sleeve - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 November 29, 2008

Pretty good top. Very comfortable and moves really well with you. I did think it would be a little thicker (doesn't block a lot of wind), but it works really well with a long sleeve shirt or t-shirt underneath.

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Super Soft

Backcountry.com Merino Crew Shirt - Long-Sleeve - Men's

Backcountry.com Merino Crew Shirt - Long-Sleeve - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 October 17, 2008

This shirt is great! Wore it two days in a row (don't judge) just because it was so comfortable. It wasn't too cool out so just pulled up the sleeves. Can't wait to use the thumbholes though. Very comfortable shirt and runs true to size in my opinion.

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Backcountry.com Merino Crew Shirt - Long-Sleeve - Men's

October 13, 2008

Depends on how you like your shirts to fit. I like mine to be sort of form-fitted, so I got my normal size and it fits true to what I want.

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The North Face Pioneer Palmer 1/4 Zip Pullover - Men's

October 2, 2008

Anybody have this top yet? I want to know if its worth the price.

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Darn Tough Shoe

The North Face Ultra 104 GTX XCR Trail Running Shoe - Men's

The North Face Ultra 104 GTX XCR Trail Running Shoe - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 September 18, 2008

I just took mine up Castle Peak in Colorado. I hit mud, loose boulders, snow, everything you can think of. My foot stayed warm the entire time (thanks Gore-Tex!) They're a little low cut if you're looking for some ankle support and when the snow got above the ankle rim, it got a little wet inside, but when I took them off at the summit, they dried super quick (10-15 minutes). Might be a little heavy for trail running, but great for backpacking and hiking!

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Money!

The North Face Terra 40 Backpack - 2450cu in

The North Face Terra 40 Backpack - 2450cu in

Rating for this product: 4 September 18, 2008

I have to say, considering the name on this bag, you get way more than what you pay for with this bag. Excellent storage. I just got back from a weekend in Colorado and took everything I needed for my four day trip. I could even carry it on the plane! Plenty of room for everything you need. My only problem was that the water bottle containers were too small for the likes of a Nalgene or one of the Backcountry.com bottles. They would fall out if I bent over too far. But, the adjustments were easy and the pack fit great. No rain cover though.

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Can't Wait!

The North Face Half Dome Hooded Sweatshirt - Men's

The North Face Half Dome Hooded Sweatshirt - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 August 8, 2008

So I was so pumped when I got this sweatshirt, then I realized I got it in the middle of summer in KY. I have been able to wear it a couple of nights though and it feels and fits great. I don't usually say this, but I can't wait for colder weather! Check this one out (especially while its on sale!)

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You'll Love this Shirt

Backcountry.com Goat Not Cotton T-Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

Backcountry.com Goat Not Cotton T-Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 July 10, 2008

This shirt is great! As soon as I got this shirt, I knew I was going to have to get another one. The material is great and the shirt runs true to size. Great deal for a great shirt!

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Super Comfy Shirt!

The North Face Hang On T-Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

The North Face Hang On T-Shirt - Short-Sleeve - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 July 7, 2008

This shirt is really comfortable and can be used for whatever you want, whether its hitting the trails for the day or you're just hanging with some friends. Shirt fits a little loose, but only if you're on the small side like me. Another great product from TNF... big surprise, I know!

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Sweet Sandals

The North Face Ex-Girlfriend Sandal - Men's

The North Face Ex-Girlfriend Sandal - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 July 7, 2008

These sandals rock. There was some rubbing on the first couple of wears, but they broke in real quick and are super comfortable. Plus they look badass!

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Awesome!

The North Face Venture Jacket - Men's

The North Face Venture Jacket - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 July 27, 2007

I just bought this jacket and the day after I received it, I got to test it out on a hard rain. I live in KY where its insanely humid and this jacket keeps me dry without giving me a muggy, wet feeling inside. Plus, its incredibly light which rocks! Definitely recommend to anyone wanting to stay dry.

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